Nov 27, 2007 / 09:03 am
The path to peace in the Middle East could take a fortuitous turn today as leaders from 40 different organizations and nations meet in Annapolis, Maryland to forge a way forward. Pope Benedict XVI has added his support to bring “a just and definitive solution” to the conflict and is sending a delegation to the summit.
Holy See Press Office director, Fr. Federico Lombardi announced today that the delegation from the Holy See is made up of Msgr. Pietro Parolin, under-secretary for Relations with States, and Msgr. Francesco Coppola, nunciature counselor.
The Pope has also been pushing for peace on the spiritual front. This past Sunday, he encouraged the faithful to join the Day of Prayer called by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to ask for peace in the Holy Land and for "the gifts of wisdom and courage for all participants in this important meeting."
In Annapolis, the Holy Father said on Sunday, "Israelis and Palestinians, with the help of the international community, aim to re-launch the negotiating process in order to find a just and definitive solution to the conflict which, for the last 60 years, has bloodied the Holy Land and brought so many tears and so much suffering to the two peoples."